William V. Rhoades
William Vinicum Rhoades was born November 10, 1811, in Burlington county, New Jersey, and was a grandson of John Rhoades, a native of England, who, on crossing tlie Atlantic to America, took up his abode in New Jersey. He had a family of three sons, James, Stephen and John, and two daughters, one of whom became the wife of Charles Parker, of South Amboy, New Jersey, and their son. Joel Parker, was one of the governors of that state. The other daughter married William Vinicum, an attorney, for whom William Vinicum Rhoades was named. Stephen Rhoades married Elizabeth Cooper, who was of Holland lineage, and their children were Isaac. William V., Jacob, Martha, Abigail, Elizabeth, Lavisa and Margaret. In the fall of 1816, Stephen started with his family from New Jersey to Ohio, making the journey by wagon to Pittsburg. At that point their goods were transferred to a boat bound for Cincinnati, while the horses were driven overland to the same place. Later they removed to Warren county. Ohio, where at the age of fourteen years. William V. Rhoades began to learn the trade of wagon and plow making under the direction of Joseph Giffins, at Ridgeville, completing a three years' apprenticeship there. He afterwanl worked for three years for Isaac Dunwiddie at Centerville, and then came to Xenia, where he entered the employ of Robinson & Lucas. Soon after, however, he began business on his own account on West Water street in a building a little west of Galloway street, and almost opposite the Barr property.
On the 22nd of January, 1833, William V. Rhoades was united in marriage to Elizabeth Gowdy. a daughter of Robert and Nancy Gowdy. the wedding being celebrated at the home of the bride at the corner of Detroit and Water streets, the officiating minister being the Rev. John Steel, of the Associate Reformed church, and they were attended by Alexander Zimmerman and Martha Gowdy. Their first home was a little frame house which stood about a block east of Detroit street, on Main street, where William Homer's grocery is now located. With the exception of a few years spent in St. Paris, Champaign county, they lived all their married life in Xenia. Eleven children were born unto them, of whom two died in infancy. Elizabeth Ariminta was born July 8, 1834. and was married December 4, 1861, to Fred E. Hubbard, removing to Delaware county, Ohio. Rolicrt Gowdy was born March 6, 1837, and was married to Sarah Abigail Roberts, September 17, 1867, their home being now in St. Paul, Minnesota. Mary McBride, born September 3, 1839, became the wife of David Sherman, November 8. 1876. and they now reside in Xenia. James Marion was born February 1, 1841, and at the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted in Company F, Thirty-fourth Regiment of Ohio Volunteers, known as Piatt's First Zouaves. He died in the hospital at Murfreesboro, March 23, 1863. and was buried in the national cemetery there. Sarah Margaret, born March 6, 1847, resides in Xenia. John Brown was born February 20, 1849, and married Adelaide Bell Dolson, January 13, 1874. For several years he was agent for the American Express Company at Xenia but is now living in Collumbus, Ohio. Charles William, born January 19, 1854, was married June 5, 1883, to Mary Frankenburger and is now living in Peru, Indiana. Eliza Alice, born August 9, 1856, was married January 22, 1880, to James Perry Howell, of Xenia. Albert Clinton, born December 28, 1861, wedded Mary Belle Haines, March 14, 1888. For the past eight years he has been connected with the F. C. Trebein Company of Xenia and Trebeins. They reside on a farm formerly owned by John Eavey, just outside of the city limits on the Wilmington pike. William V. Rhoades, the father of this family, was engaged in the manufacture of wagons and plows in Xenia for more than fifty years, being a leading representative of its industrial interests and an honorable business man whose integrity and reliability were above question. He was a life-long Democrat and died April 10, 1889, while his wife, Eliza Gowdy Rhoades, passed away February 6. 1890.
From History of Greene County, Ohio, by George F. Robinson (S. J. Clarke Publishing Co, 1902)